The Dixie Wildfire—one of the largest in California history—began in July 2021, blazing through nearly a million acres of forest and, in the rural town of Greenville alone, destroying nearly 600 homes and most of the village center. While residents were still reeling from the devastation, Steve Marshall, an expert on mass timber, and Jonathan Kusel, executive director of the Sierra Institute, a local nonprofit focused on community revitalization and the environment, came up with an idea: what if the institute facilitated the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT), an engineered-wood product, to fast-track the creation of high-quality, fire-hardened replacement homes in Greenville—demonstrating the material’s potential while permanently rehousing people and boosting the local economy?
Marshall—a 42-year veteran of the U.S. Forest Service—had just been working with Kusel and others on a Sierra Institute report for the State of California with recommendations for future uses and possible manufacture of mass timber, including CLT—a material that took off in Europe in the 1990s, but is relatively recent in the U.S. Its panels—engineered from kiln-dried lumber, layered with the grain in alternating perpendicular directions and pressure-bonded with adhesives—can produce buildings that are lighter in weight and more carbon efficient than those of concrete or steel, yet structurally strong, seismically resilient, and fire resistant. When exposed to flames, CLT’s outer layer forms a seal-like char, which protects the dense, unburnt core from damage or even significant temperature rise. Since the panels—which perform well for roofs, floors, and structural shells—are typically factory precut, the work on-site (once land preparation and foundations are done) is more assemblage than traditional construction. Doubling as a structural system and basic enclosure, CLT tends to require smaller crews and less site time than, for example, stick framing.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.